A dog who was stuck down a four-metre deep well for 11 days has been rescued.
Jimmy, a 10-year-old corgi cross, and his owner Dorota Gruszczynska had an emotional reunion when he was found by firefighters last week, who she credited for “saving his life”.
Ms Gruszczynska had been desperately searching for her beloved pet after he went missing while on a walk in Corby, Northamptonshire, on 21 June. She said Jimmy had chased after something and never returned.
The concerned owner issued appeals online and rallied the local community to help in the search.
Then, 11 days after Jimmy vanished, Corby fire service was called to reports that a dog was stuck four metres down a well on Stephenson Way in Corby, according to a statement posted on social media. The firefighters had to use a reach pole and lines to lift cylinders that he was wedged beneath, or order to lift him to safety.
After scouring online for clues as to who the dog’s owner could be, firefighters found Ms Gruszczynska’s appeal on a local missing dog page.
It turned out the rescued animal was Jimmy, who was reunited with his elated owner on 2 July. She told the BBC she was incredibly grateful to the firefighters and credited them with “saving his life”.
Ms Gruszczynska told the broadcaster: “We searched the area so many times and nothing, we created posters, put them online and sent them around the local area.”
The more time that passed, she said she “started to lose hope”, adding: “We thought he had been hit by a car and we would never see him again.”
However, she received the message she had been hoping for on 2 July, when a firefighter told her they believed they had found Jimmy.
She said: “Firefighters had been called to the area, and had heard him barking, they asked if he had a green harness on and told me he was alive. It was near where we had lost him; we had called him so much in the area, but never heard him barking. We couldn’t believe it was him.”
She added: “We’re so grateful for everyone who helped, including the drone company. They did a huge amount of work, purely out of their heart. So many people shared the cause, and it helped as the firefighters knew to contact me.”
Ms Gruszczynska said Jimmy was examined at the vets and found to be extremely hungry but not dehydrated.
“He’s back on his feet, he’s recovered surprisingly well, we don’t know how he survived, there must have been water in the well,” she added.
Corby Fire Station confirmed that Jimmy was safe and well when he and Ms Gruszczynska visited the station this week.
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